String trimmers have internal combustion engines or electric motors mounted on wands or tubular shafts connected to rotary string cutting heads for cutting grass, weeds and vegetation. Guards and shrouds mounted on the cutting heads or shafts above the rotating strings are limited in size and shape. They do not adequately protect the workperson from grass clippings, debris, and objects being thrown rearwardly over the shrouds onto the legs and feet of the workperson operating the string trimmer. Shields and skirts for string trimmers are disclosed in the prior art to prevent grass cuttings and debris from being directed toward the legs and feet of the workperson using the string trimmer. Examples of these string trimmers with shields and skirts are present in the following U.S. Patents.
A. V. Ruzicka in U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,499 discloses a string trimmer having a debris shield mounted above at least an arc of the cutting path of the cord. Cutting blades extend in an upright direction below the shield to cut the end of the cord. The cut segments of the cord are collected in a pocket.
M. Kloft and G. Zerrer in U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,728 discloses a brush cutter having a motor driven cutting tool for cutting vegetation. A protective cover plate overlaps the cutting tool. A downwardly extending wall supports a detachable skirt that projects below the wall and beneath the rotational plane of the cutting tool. The skirt deflects stones and other hard objects propelled by the cutting tool to protect the operator against injury.
S. E. Byrne in U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,126 discloses a flail trimmer having a handle comprising a fixed tubular shaft. A guide and first guard is clamped on the shaft. A rotatable cutting head has a flexible flail. A second guard extends along a 90 degree position of the circumference of the first guard between the flail and operator during use. A flail cutter extends downwardly from the first guard to cut the flail to the proper length. The knife is not located between the first guard and the plane of rotation of the flail. The second guard includes a rear vertical wall extending in an outward direction through the plane of rotation of the flail to act as a shield between the flail and the operator.
T. E. Ezell in U.S. Pat. No. 6,226,876 describes a debris shield for a string trimmer having an elongated shaft connected to string cutting head. The shield has a bracket mount on the shaft above the cutting head. The shield extends downward to generally contact the ground to prevent grass cuttings from being thrown under the shield onto the legs and feet of the user.
Paluszek in U.S. Pat. No. 6,658,741 discloses a cutting member mounted on a guard after string trimmers that cuts vegetation in concert with the rotating string. The cutting member mounted on the bottom of the guard has an L-shaped knife with a cutting edge that extends forwardly of the forward edge of the guard. The string strikes vegetation against the knife whereby the vegetation is cut by the string and knife. The knife acts to second cut the vegetation in a mulching effect.
C. W. Paddock in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2007/0089302 discloses a foldable skirt mounted on a grass trimmer shaft rearwardly of a shroud located over a string cutting head. Arms pivotally mounted on a clamp mounted on a shaft support the skirt rearwardly of the shroud and string cutting head to provide protection of the workperson from flying grass and debris.